Satya Niketan Building Collapse: Delhi LG Orders Safety Audit of All PG Hubs Within a Week

New Delhi: In the wake of the deadly building collapse at Satya Niketan, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu has directed authorities to complete a structural safety audit of all buildings in the city's paying guest (PG) hubs within a week.

The directive was issued during a high-level meeting chaired by the Lieutenant Governor along with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood to review the measures taken after the Satya Niketan tragedy and discuss ways to ensure safer accommodation for students.

The meeting was attended by senior officials, including the Chief Secretary, NDRF chief, MCD Commissioner, Delhi Police Commissioner, Delhi University's Vice-Chancellor, DDA Vice-Chairman and senior officials from the Home and Education departments.

The Lieutenant Governor instructed the Chief Secretary to ensure that structural audits of buildings in identified PG hubs are completed within seven days. Authorities have also been asked to conduct inspection drives at premises being used as PG accommodations, with particular focus on buildings that appear to have violated prescribed height and floor restrictions.

The move follows the collapse of a five-storey building being used as a boys' PG in Satya Niketan, which killed seven people. The building collapsed while repair and construction work was underway, bringing renewed scrutiny on the safety and regulatory compliance of private student accommodations in Delhi.

No 'Mindless Sealing' Of PGs

While stressing the need for strict enforcement, the Lieutenant Governor cautioned officials against indiscriminate sealing of PG buildings.

Authorities have been asked to ensure that safety action does not leave students without accommodation. The government will therefore examine alternative housing arrangements alongside inspections of unsafe and unauthorised buildings.

Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood has been asked to head a committee to review existing guidelines governing institutional PG accommodations. The panel will explore options for providing alternative accommodation through universities, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

The committee will also assess whether vacant and unutilised DDA and MCD buildings, as well as available DDA housing stock, can be repurposed to accommodate students who may be displaced following safety action.

Government Plans To Expand Hostel Capacity

The authorities are also looking at the larger issue of Delhi's shortage of student accommodation, which has forced many students to depend on private PGs and rented accommodation.

The Lieutenant Governor has directed the committee to prepare a mid- and long-term plan to increase hostel capacity. The DDA and Land & Development Office have also been asked to support universities with necessary approvals, no-objection certificates and increased floor area ratio (FAR) wherever required to facilitate the construction and expansion of hostels.

The government is additionally considering higher FAR for redevelopment of existing hostels so that more students can be accommodated while complying with safety norms.

Joint Inspections Of PGs, Coaching Centres

As an immediate preventive measure, various government departments will conduct joint inspections of buildings housing PG accommodations and coaching institutes.

The MCD has been directed to take stringent action against ongoing illegal construction, while officials will focus on identifying buildings that are unsafe or operating in violation of prescribed regulations.

A committee comprising the District Magistrate, Deputy Commissioner of Police and MCD Deputy Commissioner has also been tasked with reaching out to students living in PG accommodations, hearing their grievances and compiling a comprehensive database of students staying in private PGs.

The database is expected to help authorities assess the number of students who could be affected if unsafe buildings are evacuated and plan alternative accommodation accordingly.

The Delhi High Court has separately directed the MCD to conduct a high-level inquiry into the Satya Niketan collapse and inspect PG hostels, including checking permissions and compliance with building by-laws.

The government has also ordered steps to strengthen Delhi's disaster response mechanism, including immediate operationalisation of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority control room to coordinate rescue operations, medical assistance, official updates and support for victims' families.

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